


Bangtan's Prince of Tennis

by N0G1v1ngUp



Category: GOT7, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, Becoming a family, Dancer Park Jimin (BTS), Drabble, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, High School, Implied Relationships, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin are Best Friends, M/M, Multi, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, SOPE if you squint, Swearing, Sweet Park Jimin (BTS), Tennis, nothing too graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29501781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/N0G1v1ngUp/pseuds/N0G1v1ngUp
Summary: Jungkook returns to his home country after some years abroad to finish high school and hopefully land himself a spot in his renowned academy's Tennis Club. He wasn't expecting to find friendship, support, challenges, and above all, he wasn't expecting to find himself hung up on his pink-haired, chubby-cheeked, dancing angel of a classmate.Heavily influenced by Prince of Tennis; Match! Tennis Juniors
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin, Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Joining The Team

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> I've been away for a while, regrouping and re-loading my energy. I've been writing lots of drabbles and while none of them is finished, I decided to take the new episode of RUN BTS! as a sign that it's time I posted and shared something with you all. 
> 
> This is a drabble I've been working on for a while now, adding bits and pieces here and there, inspired heavily by The Prince of Tennis: Match! Tennis Juniors, the Chinese drama (Netflix) adapted from The Prince of Tennis manga by Takeshi Konomi. 
> 
> It takes place in High School so the content is very mild and sweet. 
> 
> For the purposes of plot I've tweaked their ages a little:  
> Jungkook, Jimin, and Tae are all the same age and are sophomores.  
> Hoseok and Namjoon are Juniors, along with Jackson and Jaebeom  
> Seokjin, Yoongi, and Mark are Seniors.
> 
> REMEMBER! This is purely fiction, and while heavily based on the sweet and talented humans that make up BTS and GOT7, nothing written here pretends to reflect any of these people's thoughts, ideas, abilities, inclinations, and/or anything else that defines them as a person. 
> 
> So come on in, lay those heavy thoughts and worries to the side for a little bit, and enjoy some light reading if you have time! Tell me what you think and if you'd like for me to continue working on the second part.
> 
> Big hug to all and any of you who would like one!  
> Love  
> XoXo

It was the end of the first week of the school year. The last remnants of summer still clinging to the day as the soft breeze, still too balmy to hint at the turning season, carried over the voices of dozens of students making their way out of their classrooms, done for the day.

“Tae, slow down!”

“Come on Jiminie, we can’t be late today!”

The two sophomore boys flew through the doors and out into the school courtyard. Students around them barely paying attention to the twosome, a testament to how used they were to the pair’s antics. Some of them even turned and looked up with soft smiles on their faces at the easily recognizable duo that zoomed past them on their way to their latest excursion. 

The outdoor tennis courts were swarming with people already by the time they finally arrived. Some of them were dressed in their blue joggers and white polo shirts with the signature blue and gold-trimmed short-sleeves for which their school’s sports uniform was so famous for. Most, however, were still in their regular uniform of black slacks or navy skirts with a navy vest over a white button-up blouse. The gold trims and accents visible in their ties and neck bows, shone proudly in the afternoon sun. 

“Do you think they’ve started yet?” asked the shorter of the two males, while trying and failing to see over the shoulder of a tall junior. 

“I don’t think so, there’s still too much chatter going on,” answered the other boy, using his height to his advantage to spot a good place to sit amongst the crowd. “There! C’mon Min, I’ve got us the perfect spot!”

Jimin followed his brunet friend to a low wall that divided the running track from the tennis courts. Climbing up and settling atop the concrete structure, the taller reached down and attempted to pull the smaller one up. As they both grunted with effort, the taller one felt his hand slipping at the last second, causing his pink-haired friend to falter and fall backward. Jimin shrieked in surprise as he lost his grip but two strong arms stopped his fall and set him right before even a full yell made it out of his mouth. 

“Are you alright?”

Jimin blinked and turned in surprise to stare into soft brown eyes, framed by messy, black strands that fell in waves all the way to the very handsome boy’s cheekbones. Said boy was taller than Jimin by almost a full head, much like his friend Taehyung. His strong nose and jaw balanced out perfectly by his wide doe eyes and thin lips, which were threatening to curl up into a small smile as the shorter male blushed crimson in embarrassment. 

“I’m good! Thanks… Uhm…” he trailed off, suddenly realizing he had no idea who his handsome savior was. 

The taller gave him a true yet small smile then. “Jungkook,” he said while hitching up his sports bag a little higher over his shoulder to offer his hand for a handshake. 

Even as he reciprocated the greeting offering his own hand, Jimin’s gaze zeroed in on the expensive-looking tennis bag and his eyes widened as he took in the stranger’s very athletic build. He seemed ready for the try-outs in his dark grey joggers and a plain black short-sleeved T-shirt that did nothing but showcase toned and sun-kissed arms. Jimin’s ogling was cut short by a snicker from none other than his best friend, who sat looking at him with a mocking grin from his perch atop the wall. Jimin sent him a withering glare before turning to the new-comer and promptly dropping into a bow. 

“Thanks a lot, Jungkook-ssi!” 

The taller shrugged and waved a hand at him in dismissal “No problem. Need a hand up?” 

Jimin stared up at him in confusion for a second before the other pointed up at the wall, where Tae sat, snickering behind his hand, enjoying his best friend’s mortification. “Oh! Uhm… if you don’t mind?”

Jimin was expecting the taller boy to give him a boost up, so he wasn’t ready when Jungkook swiftly got behind him and circled both arms around his thighs. If he hadn’t been used to being lifted as a dancer he would have probably toppled over and made a fool of himself. Thankfully, he managed to not voice much of an outward reaction other than a surprised gasp as the boy lifted him, seemingly effortlessly. Taehyung proved useful for once and quickly reached for him to assist.

Once seated, Jimin looked down and smiled in thanks at Jungkook who gave him a tentative smile back just as a whistle was heard over the court. The taller was about to turn and leave making Jimin anxious to speak at least once again to him. “You’re trying out, right?”

The black-haired boy turned back to him and nodded raising his hand in a farewell gesture so Jimin simply blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “I’ll cheer for you!”

Jungkook gave him a full smile then, front teeth slightly more visible than the rest making him look like a giant bunny for a second, before giving him a shy head nod and walking quickly to the front of the group assembled at the court. Jimin watched him warm up with the rest of the candidates and couldn’t help but hope he would make the cut. In his mind, Jungkook would look incredibly good with the white and blue tennis club uniform. His vivid imagination was cut short by a deep voice next to him “I’ll cheer for you? Really?” Jimin nearly pushed Taehyung off the wall then. 

Jungkook breezed through the first part of the trials. He was more than used to the extensive cardio and speed drills. When they finally got to the targeted exercises, the initial group of thirty had dwindled to less than half. After several rounds of aimed shots and strength testing, only four of them remained. The three others were older than him, yet two of them were quite friendly and the other seemed to sneer at him at every chance he got. He learned the nice ones were both juniors; Jackson, who was a foreign exchange student like himself, and Jaebeom, who had just recently moved from a different city. The pair joked around with him and even praised some of his shots, making the air around them seem less like a competition and more like a simple practice amongst friends. The other candidate was a senior, named Jeonsoo and apparently suffering from an acute case of constipation judging by the sour look on his face all the time. 

“Congratulations to the four of you, and welcome to our school’s Tennis Club,” said a tall man with deep dimples and an insanely toned upper body who stood casually smiling at them. A chorus of applause surrounded them and through the murmurs of the crowd, he could hear a light and airy voice screaming: “Well done Jungkook-ssi!” Turning slightly in the direction of the low wall, almost a court away, he gave the pink-haired boy a quick wave and a nod in thanks, for keeping his promise. 

Later that day as he finally settled into his dorm, having been lucky at being the last student to arrive and spotting himself a room of his own instead of sharing, Jungkook cursed his own shyness for not asking the pink-haired boy’s name. He was quite short, he mused, probably younger than him. Judging by him and his friend’s enthusiasm to watch the try-outs, it was very likely he would see the pair around the courts often. Or at least, he hoped so. 

Monday arrived with all the delicacy and expectation of a falling piano. Sleepy faces made their way through campus to their designated classes with little to no enthusiasm. Jimin and Taehyung made their way amongst their nearly asleep peers chatting about the upcoming fall festival. All the schools in the area took turns hosting the events and this year it would be their school’s turn. It was taken very seriously by all participating academies and as one of the most prestigious ones in the country, Bangtan Institute was facing very high expectations this year. As members of the performing arts crew, both Jimin and Taehyung were excited for what their roles would be. Settling into their usual seats without stopping their conversation, neither paid attention to the teacher entering the classroom accompanied by a new student. 

“Ban Jang!” came the call from the teacher and Jimin immediately rushed to his feet, cheeks flushed at being caught gossiping, quickly bending into a bow towards their teacher. “Good morning Professor Kang!” 

Jimin’s classmates followed his lead and bowed chorusing his greeting. Once their teacher had acknowledged them with her own greeting, everyone took their seats and finally noticed the newcomer. Jimin’s flush deepened when he realized he was looking straight into the eyes of the boy that had filled his thoughts the whole weekend, looking particularly dashing in his fitted uniform, dark hair parted away from his face and framing his gaze amplifying it to Jimin’s increasing awe. 

Jungkook stood next to the teacher as the woman explained to the class his integration to the new course. The pink-haired boy he’d been pondering over the last couple of days sat primly in the row by the windows, being illuminated by the morning sun. He looked like an angel, he thought, as he bent into a bow of his own and introduced himself to the class, before being directed to sit right behind the boy, who the teacher called ‘Jimin’. 

He settled into his seat with a quick smile at Jimin and a nod at the brunet boy he’d seen chatting with the shorter male, remembering him as being the same guy who had sat atop the wall the day they’d met. As their first class moved forward, Jungkook started noticing how often the two boys would communicate or interact non-verbally, sharing an eraser and with Jimin whispering the page number for the taller boy as he got called out to read out loud. He couldn’t help but wonder if they were ‘together’ and frowned at the slightly bitter taste the thought left in his metaphorical palate. 

At their first break of the day. Jimin promptly turned around in his seat and leveled him with an incredibly charming smile that kicked the breath out of his lungs and made him freeze for a second with the sheer force of it. “Congratulations on making the team!” said the boy and his honest enthusiasm made him smile in return. 

“Thank you.”

“There have only been two other sophomores to have ever made the team, so you must be pretty good,” said the tall boy next to Jimin, giving him a friendly grin. 

Jungkook felt shy again, but the two in front of him were welcoming enough to bolster him up, “Maybe… we’ll see…”

“You came from America, right? Is it a big change?” said the brunet boy. He seemed enthusiastic to carry on the conversation, prompting Jungkook to at least try and follow the rhythm of it. 

“Yeah, California. It’s quite different, but I wasn’t away for too long, just a couple of years.”

The pink-haired boy beamed at him and once again stole the breath right out of his lungs with his cute eye-smile and cheerful tone as he spoke to him. “Oh, then you’ll get the hang of everything very quickly! If you have any questions feel free to ask me, I’m the class monitor.” 

Jungkook nodded numbly, giving the two boys a shaky smile in return. The three of them exchanged phone numbers and Jungkook had to make a very conscious effort to not pass out with giddiness as Jimin returned his phone after saving his contact information and noticing the little stars emojis the pink-haired boy had added to his own name. ‘Cute’ he thought, and very fitting. They continued talking about the cultural differences between western schools and theirs, breaking the ice and slowly beginning to feel comfortable with one another just as their break came to an end and the teacher walked back inside the classroom. It didn’t matter though, as their camaraderie had a solid base going on by then and Jungkook could finally feel his shyness taking the backseat. 

That afternoon, after saying goodbye to his new friends who had practice with their own clubs, Jungkook got to meet the rest of the tennis team. Their captain, and first singles, turned out to be the blond, dimpled junior who had overseen the try-outs. He stood tall and imposing exuding a commanding aura that while overwhelming was also very warm and friendly as he smiled at them all. He presented himself as Kim Namjoon and then turned to introduce each member and their positions to the newcomers. Third singles was a very handsome, tall, and broad-shouldered brunet senior named Kim Seokjin. He was rumored to have three masterful returns that could win him any match, if only he was made to take it seriously enough. The elder had a relaxed attitude and was often cracking dumb jokes that made the others roll their eyes good-naturedly. A gaggle of girls and boys sat making googly eyes at him through the afternoon from the benches on the far side of the courts. 

“Don’t mind them, they know not to be loud so they won’t affect your concentration,” said Seokjin with a blasé shrug of his shoulders.

“They’re Jin Hyung’s fan club,” said Namjoon with a wink and a smirk to what the senior answered with a roll of the eyes and a good-natured push to the taller man’s frame that barely swayed him as he walked away with very red ears. 

The first doubles and the academy’s best partners were introduced next, as Jung Hoseok, a junior with a megawatt heart-shaped smile, and Min Yoongi, a senior that sported an impressive poker face. They were bizarrely the complete opposite of each other, yet when they moved in the court it was like watching two halves of the same person. Even their clothing styles were entirely different. Where Hoseok’s wavy dark chocolate hair was held back by a very colorful bandana that matched his colorful shorts and bold print t-shirt, Yoongi’s silvery blond tresses were pushed back by a black nondescript headband that matched his plain black joggers and a white long-sleeved shirt.

Namjoon stood with them explaining their upcoming training plan, looking determined and excited, a mixture Jungkook found refreshing after having to endure a bone-dry coach back in Cali. “Our second singles and second doubles positions are vacant now that our Hyungs have graduated,” he explained with a casual shrug, dipping his hands into his joggers’ pockets. “We will train and assess you in your development to determine if you are to play singles or team up for doubl-“ 

“I don’t play doubles,” interrupted Jeonsoo, spitting the word ‘doubles’ as if it was a curse and leveling the younger leader with a hard stare daring him to disagree. Namjoon however, didn’t back down as easily as the elder thought, in spite of his youth. Warm coffee-colored eyes sharpening in a second and leveling the elder with a hard stare that had Jungkook holding his breath at the mind-blowing duality of the captain.

“If you want to play alone Jeonsoo-ssi, you’ll have to prove you are suitable for the position,” said the blond with a firm tone that had shivers running down the newcomers’ spine and a small smirk forming on Seokjin’s lips. 

“Besides, playing doubles is no simple task either. It requires skills not many are able to develop and a special kind of ability very few are able to master, so don’t dismiss it as if it is less than playing singles,” said the blond. On a nearby bench, Yoongi scoffed under his breath as he laid down on the hard surface, pillowing his head on Hoseok’s thighs while the junior openly beamed at their captain. 

The senior just huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his face away in a very childish gesture that had Jackson trying hard to suppress a chuckle behind his hand. 

The weeks started blending together, day after day of school work and endless training. Jungkook wouldn’t have it any other way. In the mornings and lunch, Taehyung and Jimin, who turned out were simply childhood best friends and not together, as they vehemently assured Jungkook once he’d managed to ask, always stayed close to him and were soon becoming some of the best friends he’d ever had. Even if Jungkook still struggled to look at Jimin without getting hung up on his stunning face or his adorable tenderness and delicate nature that seemed to accompany his every move. Lately, Taehyung had taken to teasing him every time he caught the raven-haired boy looking at the dancer for longer than necessary. 

“Careful Gukk,” he’d say once Jimin was away, “one might get the impression that you like our little mochi.” 

Jungkook would simply slap him away or grumble under his breath about him being nosy, yet, Taehyung noticed with delight, he would never deny it.

Things within the team were fast-paced and relentless, just like Jungkook liked it. He’d rarely had the chance to play with such advanced junior players back in the States, and he took the opportunity to soak up information and experience like a sponge. Jin would run him ragged with his precision shots and Namjoon left him feeling boneless after facing his strengthening routines. Hoseok’s speed drills and acrobatics left him panting and Yoongi’s trick shots made his mind scramble to understand the science behind each nearly impossible return. Jaebeom and Jackson were quickly gearing up to be an amazing duo with their combined strength and speed that turned their game style almost into a circus routine that gave even Yoongi and Hoseok a hard time. 

Even as they all took the training seriously, outside the courts, his teammates were for the most part very relaxed people that coaxed him out of his shell little by little until Jungkook noticed they were laughing and joking all together one day as they made their way to the showers as if they had known each other all their lives. Even Yoongi, who was probably the most enigmatic of the bunch would often smile and roast them every once in a while, making sure to praise them afterward to ensure no feelings were hurt. Jungkook soon noticed the elder taking care of younger team members silently and often found himself on the receiving end of the senior’s soundless care. Yoongi would go out of his way to make sure the maknae had a water bottle at the ready always, particularly after draining drills, and offering him bits of candy whenever Jungkook started looking a little too pale after a strenuous workout. 

Hoseok hyped him up every chance he got, never letting him get discouraged if a particular move wasn’t coming out as well as he hoped for. He had a way of explaining moves and techniques that made learning for Jungkook fun and easy to understand, even if the elder was strict and unrelenting. When things got too serious, Hoseok would spew jokes and brotherly pats that had Jungkook’s spirits replenishing and ready to try again if only to see the proud heart-shaped smile that would bloom on the brunet’s face when he managed to nail a particularly hard movement. 

Namjoon made himself available to all of them at all times, even for things outside their sport. When the first evaluations came around, Jungkook confessed once to having to leave practice earlier to cram for a quiz he was not feeling prepared for at all. The captain not only granted him permission at once but also showed up at the library where Jungkook had holed himself in later in the evening, armed with books and ginseng to help him study. Jungkook’s panic over his academics lessened in inverse proportions to his rapidly increasing admiration of the blond Junior who managed somehow to explain every subject he had been struggling to grasp in terms Jungkook would easily understand and remember. It became usual for both of them to be found studying quietly in the library after practice several times a week after that, oftentimes accompanied by several of other team-members and even Taehyung and Jimin when their clubs dismissed them early enough. 

Seokjin, or Jin, as he preferred to be called, would fuss over all of them making sure they all had jackets on them when leaving late in the afternoons to ward off the incoming fall chill after straining their muscles for hours. He made sure none of them left the court discouraged if the practice didn’t yield desired effects and used good humor and praise to keep up their spirits up at all times. The eldest, who turned out to be Taehyung’s brother, also took to sending him meals every day with his classmate after a particularly harsh training session in which Jungkook nearly passed out and confessing he hadn’t had enough to eat at lunch for accidentally burning his meal that morning, an occurrence Taehyung had confirmed happened often since the black-haired boy didn’t seem to have much culinary prowess. Jungkook had felt mortified at first but Taehyung’s boxy smile and Jimin’s insistence that he needed to eat well to stay healthy swayed him enough to devour and very much enjoy Seokjin’s cooking. He’d bowed low to the wide-shouldered elder that first afternoon in gratitude but Seokjin merely clapped his shoulder amicably and made him promise he would eat well from then on. Jungkook who wasn’t used to so many people caring for him in such a hands-on way felt at a loss most of the time around his newfound friends, but welcomed the attention, all the same, striving to learn and be better around his new Hyungs. 

Jeonsoo was the only one amongst them who would never loosen up and join in on the developing team bond. He constantly sneered at them and huffed in annoyance whenever one of the others pointed out something wrong with his technique, which was often given how behind and unpolished his overall game was. He would be particularly aggressive towards Namjoon, who as the captain had the responsibility to oversee their training while their coach was away recovering from surgery. The tall blond would take the sneering with a flat face and unrelenting sharp eyes, never backing down and standing his ground until the elder acquiesced to his corrections. It was an unpleasant blip on their overall good energy but it was inevitable as they needed the eight to fulfill the required member quota to allow for one of them to be available to replace anyone in case of emergency. 

Jin and Yoongi, both also seniors and older than Jeonsoo by a couple of months had to stand behind Namjoon, silently showing him support on several occasions but otherwise allowed their captain to handle the situations on his own. Jungkook on the other end ended up swallowing down harsh quips and even a couple of insults the unpleasant senior directed his way when no one else was around. Jungkook knew very well his own technique and overall game was leagues better than Jeonsoo’s and he was aware the senior knew it as well, resulting in jealousy and petty backlash. They were each other’s rivals when it came to taking the second single’s slot, and whether he liked it or not, Jeonsoo was likely to lose the spot to the sophomore on sheer talent. 

As the decaying temperatures turned the green trees and shrubs into a pretty array of coppery tones, the academy saw more and more of its key students staying late to prepare for the rapidly approaching Fall Festival. Jungkook laughed as Taehyung often arrived at their classroom in the morning with paint splatters all over his hands and sometimes even his hair. By contrast, both of them frowned as Jimin showed up looking tired and ragged as the days turned into weeks of intense preparations that had the smaller boy staying up late with both the student council and keeping up with his dance cohort. 

“I’m ok guys, stop fretting!” would say the pink-haired male as his friends fussed over him. 

“You look like a raccoon with how dark your eyebags are Min,” said Taehyung squeezing the smaller male to his side as they settled under a large tree in the yard for lunch. 

“You could get sick, it’s not healthy at all and you know it,” said Junkook seriously as he served a cup of the reinvigorating- tea Seokjin had sent that morning and pushing it into the other boy’s hands. 

Jimin sighed heavily but took the offered cup and took a careful sip under the watchful eyes of his two friends. “I know and I’m trying my best to at least get some sleep,” he said after swallowing the warm and slightly tangy but pleasant liquid. “There is just so much to do! And Taemin Hyung’s accident left us without a soloist so now the rest of us are scrambling to fill in and reassure him that he should focus only on recovering so his ankle will heal alright for Christmas.”

“Taemin would hate to know you are endangering your own health instead,” came a voice that had the three of them startling and turning as one to the newcomers. Seokjin and Namjoon walked up to them sedately, warm smiles on their faces. 

“Hyung! You scared us!” pouted Taehyung earning a chuckle from Seokjin and a dimpled smile from Namjoon as the pair took a seat in the grass next to the younger lot. 

“Sorry kid, Hyung just wanted to swing by and make sure you are all doing alright,” said Seokjin nudging the big container of japchae closer to Jimin, who took the hint and served himself a portion to appease the elder. The senior smiled fondly and then turned to Jungkook to prompt him to do the same.

“The scenography is mostly complete by now so no more late-nights for us in the art club, but Jiminie here is still sleeping less than four hours a day,” said Taehyung with a pouty expression as he took a serving Seokjin himself prepared, heaping with meat and the younger’s favorite vegetables. 

“Tae!” scolded the pink-haired boy, blushing under the frowning scrutiny of the two elders. 

“Actually, Taemin agrees with Tae,” said Seokjin, opening another container he’d brought along and handing a kimbap roll to a smiling Namjoon. “I spoke with him this morning before class and he asked me to pass along this note to you,” he continued, smiling as he handed Jimin a folded piece of paper with Taemin’s neat handwriting. 

Jimin’s worried gaze softened and relaxed as he read the brief instructions from his dance club captain. “He wants me to take today off from practice.”

“Hmm, you should probably take the chance to get some sleep,” said Jungkook as he nudged the smaller male to make him continue eating, but Jimin merely shook his head even if he did comply by taking a bite. 

“My roommate does some tutoring in our dorm until seven tonight and often goes over the set time so I won’t be able to go back there until much later,” he explained, taking another bite to placate the worried look on Seokjin’s face. 

“How about you come with us to practice then, you may not be able to sleep but at least your mind will take a break from choreography and the outdoor courts are excellent to get fresh air,” suggested Namjoon with a warm smile and a backing nod from Seokjin. 

Jungkook’s eyes widened but also nodded enthusiastically when Jimin turned to him with questioning eyes. “S-sure! It’ll be entertaining I guess,” he stuttered nervously as the pink-haired boy blasted him with a full smile. 

“Today we’ll be deciding who’s going to be playing the Express Tournament matches during the festival against the visiting academies so you’ll get to see Jungkookie in action,” said Seokjin with a small smirk that was echoed in his brother’s face. Namjoon covered his mouth with his hand to hide a knowing smile as his maknae team member flushed under the attention. 

Jimin’s eyes sparkled and tiredness seemed to evaporate from his body as he turned fully to the taller boy and nearly tackled him in a hug. “I’ll cheer for you Jungkookie!”

The rest of them snickered at the wide frantic eyes Jungkook turned on them as he was held prisoner in Jimin’s tight embrace. It was clearly not a call for help so they sat back and calmly resumed their lunch, enjoying the sight of a flustered Jungkook and a happy Jimin cuddling as they ate. 

That afternoon, Jimin sat perched on the canopied coach bench closer to the court where he was enthusiastically greeted by Hoseok with a hug and got a soft pat on his head by a silent Yoongi as they walked by to start their stretching. 

Jungkook often found himself glancing back at his classmate who was attentively watching him as they went through the by now usual routine. He was still feeling a bit flustered by having the cute boy’s gaze acutely trained on him all the time, but as his body fixed on the familiar motions of tennis, his concentration was turned solely on the sport, registering faintly the constant cheering from the side coming from an enthusiastic Jimin, a pleasant boost to his every move. Soon, his classification match against Jeonsoo was over, with a clear victory for him and his name written on the whiteboard as the academy’s official second singles player. 

He walked to the bench where Jimin was already holding up his water bottle and towel, gushing congratulations and praise that had his cheeks reddening, this time not from exertion. He was just reaching for the bottle when a sound he could easily identify even in his sleep, registered on his mind and he acted on instinct, turning and catching the flying ball, hand steady and strongly clenched around the neon yellowish-green orb, less than a foot away from Jimin’s startled face. He turned angry and steely eyes on the culprit to find a sneering Jeonsoo, racket still poised after delivering the violent shot. 

Jungkook took a step forward but a calming hand settled on his shoulder, grounding him in place. Namjoon’s tall frame passed by him, followed seconds later by Seokjin’s wide shoulders and Yoongi’s stealthy body. Hoseok came to stand next to him, keeping Jimin tucked safely behind them. Jackson and Jaebeom taking up posts around the bench as well, serious expressions on all their normally relaxed faces. 

“Violence is not tolerated in this club, Jeonsoo-ssi, against outsiders, and certainly not against our own classmates and members,” said Namjoon seriously, leveling the senior with his sharp eyes. 

“That brat broke my concentration with all his screeching! He should not even be here, to begin with!” snarled the elder, pointing his racket in Jimin’s direction, making both Jungkook and Hoseok close ranks around the alluded boy to keep him out of the senior’s sight. 

“If you can’t keep your concentration in check when surrounded by outside stimuli then you are not fit to compete in a tournament where there will be dozens if not hundreds of spectators around you yelling and cheering for their teams,” said Namjoon casually but with that very same steely tone coating his words, making the elder flinch at the clear jab at his inadequacy. 

“He was invited to oversee the practice and furthermore, he is part of the dance club who usually attends our games to provide interim entertainment for the audience, therefore his presence here is hardly questionable. You would know that had you been part of this team before,” continued the captain, crossing his arms but keeping a firm grip on his racket as he eyed the way the elder’s hand shook with how hard he was gripping his own.

“I don’t have to hear this from you! You are not fit to be the captain! You are just a junior and can’t give me orders!” snarled the elder advancing with heavy steps towards Namjoon with his racket held like a club and ready to strike on his right hand. 

“If you touch even a single hair on his head you will find yourself not only expelled from the tennis club but also from the academy, with a record so badly stained nothing but a public school will be willing to take you in,” said Seokjin looking deceptively casual as he stood with his white and pink, customized racked clamped between his arm and his body while both his hands rested in his joggers’ pockets. Jeonsoo halted in his steps, a furious snarl still on his face but hand lowering as he assimilated the eldest’s words.

“Not to mention no Korean university will even consider a candidate with a violent history. Good luck getting accepted elsewhere, ‘cause I heard your grades are hardly passable as it is,” said Yoongi with a smirk on his otherwise bored expression from where he stood casually twirling his black racket on his right hand with mindboggling dexterity. Jeonsoo paled a little as the scenario sank in.

“And the fact that you consider Namjoon unfit to be captain after he was recognized last year as the best junior player in the country by the Korean National Tennis Association, is laughable and only shows how ignorant you are on this sport,” continued Seokjin with a mocking shake of his head, face a mask of cartoonish concern. Jeonsoo’s snarl was back in place but his body had lost all the fight and he simply stood, hands clenched into fists glaring daggers at the tall blond who regarded him with a stone-hard expression and stiff frame. 

“I’m afraid, this club no longer has a spot for you Jeonsoo-ssi. Thank you for trying out,” said Namjoon finally, enjoying the surprised expression on the senior’s face. 

“You can’t kick me out! You need at least eight members for the association to recognize you as an official team for the national league!” screamed Jeonsoo, eyes darting to the faces of all the other members looking for backup that none of them gave. 

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Mark is coming back on Monday after all,” said Seokjin with a shrug and a smirk. “LA was not to his liking apparently.”

Jeonsoo huffed in frustration and after a few more moments of hesitation, finally turned around and walked off the court, pausing only long enough to yank his bag off the bench it had been resting on. It was only after he was fully out of sight that the rest of the team released their breaths and dropped their tense postures. Jungkook turned to find a worried-looking Jimin clutching his water bottle to his chest. 

“Did I just get you in trouble?” asked the smaller male, making Jungkook huff good-naturedly and roll his eyes before taking a seat next to the pink-haired boy. 

“Nah, he probably had it coming anyway,” he answered and turned to his Hyungs who were walking back towards them. 

“What a prick,” said Yoongi under his breath as he too took a seat on Jimin’s other side of the bench. 

“Can’t believe he actually thought he could get away with throwing a ball at you! Good thing Gukk here reacted on time,” said Seokjin with a worried frown scanning Jimin’s blushing face to make sure he was indeed alright. 

The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur of speed drills and strengthening exercises. Every once in a while, Jungkook would turn towards Jimin only to find him progressively drooping into the bench in exhaustion. By the time five o’clock arrived and practice officially ended, Jimin had fallen asleep using Jungkook’s bag as a pillow and curled up on the hard surface of the bench. Jungkook was having a hard time looking at the other boy’s peaceful face and not becoming a pile of mush at the adorable sight of his squishy cheeks bunched up as his face pressed into the bag’s padding. 

“It’s getting chilly,” said Namjoon quietly from behind him, making the freshman turn to see his captain and Seokjin walking towards him calmly, fond smiles on their faces. “It’d be better if he got some more sleep on a warmer place.”

“And hopefully a softer surface,” added Seokjin with a small smile as he ruffled Jungkook’s hair.

“He said his dorm is usually busy until later so even if I take him there, I don’t think he’ll be able to get much sleep,” answered Jungkook quietly as he gazed back at the slumbering boy, missing Seokjin and Namjoon’s exchanged nods. 

“Also, you both need to eat, and I am willing to bet my favorite racket that you have nothing to eat back at your dorm,” said Seokjin lifting a dramatic hand to his forehead as if invoking patience. 

Jungkook looked back at him with an apologetic grimace and sheepish eyes, confirming the elder’s words much to Namjoon’s amusement and Seokjin’s winning grin. 

“Come along then Gukkie, you are coming with me,” said the elder casually as he picked up his bag and strolled out of the court with Namjoon in tow. “Yoongi-yah, Hoseokie, my place tonight. Jaebum-ah, Jackson-ah, you two are welcome as well of course,” he called, to what Hoseok and Yoongi merely nodded from where they were crouched over their bags putting away their gear. 

“Sorry Hyung, Jackson and I have a meeting with our teacher for an ‘incident’ this morning, don’t we Jackson?” said Jaebeom playfully glaring at his fellow junior, who was sheepishly holding his arms up in surrender. 

Namjoon laughed at the pair as he walked past. “You were lucky the window was open so the glass didn’t break,” he said, fist-bumping his classmates in farewell. 

“Yeah, and that there was no one walking around beneath it as well,” said Jackson with a shake of his head and a relieved grin. 

While his Hyungs made their way out, Jungkook gently shook Jimin awake, who barely opened his eyes long enough to register as the taller boy crouched before him with his back turned to him. “Climb on, I’ll give you a ride.”

Jimin flushed prettily and was about to protest, planning to use Jungkook’s heavy bag as an excuse to decline when the said bag was taken from the bench by a grinning Hoseok who pranced away towards the exit with dancing steps followed by Yoongi at a much sedate pace. 

“Come on Minie, I know you’re still tired,” said Jungkook, head turned over his shoulder with a reassuring smile in place. 

“But you just finished practice, you must be tired too,” said Jimin, wringing his hands but with exhaustion still drooping his eyes. 

Jungkook snorted amused. “You weigh less than my bag, dummy, it’s hardly a workout,” he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. Jimin huffed, cheeks colored some more making Jungkook’s grin become wider. Begrudgingly, he climbed into Jungkook’s back, suppressing a surprised yelp as the boy got to his feet seemingly effortlessly and begun walking fast to catch up to their elders. 

It was the first time Jungkook would be to Seokjin’s house. He knew beforehand he and Taehyung lived off-campus, unlike the majority of his peers who lived in the dorm rooms provided by the school. The five-block walk went by in the blink of an eye as the group chatted amicably and joked amongst themselves as usual. Jimin had tried valiantly to stay awake and participate but scarcely a minute in, Jungkook felt the small weight on his back settle and still, while the smaller male’s head found a pillow on his shoulder. The black-haired evened out his steps and purposefully avoided brisk movements to ensure Jimin would sleep soundly. Around him, the others naturally became quieter, not stopping their conversation but modulating their voices so they wouldn’t disturb the younger boy. 

The area around the academy was usually pleasantly quiet, a few train stops away from the city's most crowded areas, nestled in one of the exclusive districts of Seoul. High-end apartment buildings rose around them and the streets were dotted with nice-looking cafes and boutique businesses. Jungkook hadn’t gotten much of a chance to explore outside the school so he drank in the sights greedily, satisfying some of his curiosity. As they all entered a very posh and elegantly styled building with marble and glass lobby where the doorman sported a classic uniform and greeted them with a deep bow, Jungkook began to get the distinct impression his eldest Hyung had to be part of a very wealthy family. His thoughts were confirmed as they zoomed up on the elevator to the penthouse and exited into a foyer fit for a five-star hotel.

Taehyung greeted them at the entrance cutting his welcoming shout short as soon as he spotted Jimin sleeping on Jungkook’s back, opting instead to signal Jungkook to follow him into his room. Jungkook deposited the smaller male into the big and soft-looking bed with the help of the other, before taking off his shoes and arranging the covers over him. Only once they were sure the pink-haired male was settled and sleeping profoundly did Jungkook actually take in the room. It was simply but beautifully furnished, with a corner dedicated entirely to art with shelves upon shelves of paint tubes and pots with brushes and other necessities. An easel rested next to the big balcony windows, probably getting excellent light during the day. All in all, its simplicity and understated elegance suited Taehyung perfectly. Said male, offered him a wide grin and bouncing eyebrows as he inclined his head in Jimin’s direction before running off and leaving a flushed Jungkook to follow in his wake. 

As they arrived at the living room, Namjoon and Seokjin were missing while Hoseok and Yoongi were already sprawled in the huge sectional couch in front of a flat-screen watching the reprise of an Italian match and discussing the lead pair’s technique. Taehyung flung himself on top of the elder pair, who didn’t even pause their conversation and merely adjusted themselves to make room for the gangly teenager that was curling his limbs around them like a cuddly octopus. 

Across the big space, the kitchen came to life as Seokjin, who had changed into a pink hoodie and grey lounge pants, bustled around taking things out of the double-door fridge and settling them in the big counter that doubled as a breakfast bar. Namjoon sat in one of the stools, wearing a different pair of joggers and a loose green t-shirt, making Jungkook think that maybe he’d borrowed clothes from the senior. Upon noticing his presence, the blond smiled warmly at him and beaconed him forwards. 

“That was one hell of a reaction Gukk, I’ve seen very few people with such fast reflexes at your age,” he said, making the sophomore grin as he too took a seat at the bar. 

“Jeonsoo is a new student, so I don’t know him as well as I do my other classmates,” said Seokjin chopping vegetables in front of them. “You must come to us if he ever bothers you or Jimin-ah in the future. What he did today is worrisome and if something like that ever happens again, I’ll be reporting him to the disciplinary committee.” 

Jungkook nodded his understanding. He would have been able to let it go easily if the senior had targeted him, who bested and took his spot in the competition, but the fact that he had attempted to harm Jimin, who had done absolutely no wrong, was simply unforgivable in Jungkook’s books. 

Namjoon regarded him closely with a knowing smile but thankfully refrained from commenting on his thoughts. Instead, the elder patted his shoulder and offered him a water bottle. Together they sat keeping Seokjin company as the others continued their debate a few steps away in front of the TV. “Would you like some help Jin Hyung?” he asked after a while, noticing how odd it was for the eternally helpful Namjoon to remain passive and idle while the elder cooked.

His confusion cleared as he noticed the small amused smirk on Namjoon’s lips at his question and Seokjin’s startled look. “Oh, no bun, it’s alright, I’ve got it.”

Flushing slightly at the unfamiliar but cute nickname Jungkook tilted his head in question until a quiet huff slightly behind him made him turn around to find Yoongi looking sleepy as he approached them. He watched as the other senior entered the kitchen holding eye contact with Seokjin who had stopped chopping vegetables to stare at his classmate seriously. The smaller elder maintained the contact but moved determinedly towards the fridge, taking out a juice bottle and another water bottle, before walking back the way he’d come. Only once the platinum-haired senior was out of the kitchen area did Seokjin break eye contact and return to his chopping. Jungkook sat stunned by what he’d just witnessed, a smile twitching on his lips at his Hyung’s cute territorialism over his kitchen. Beside him, Namjoon took the chance as Seokjin had turned away from them and was now sauteing the greens on the stove to whisper in Jungkook’s ear. 

“Never go into the kitchen without Hyung’s express permission while he’s cooking,” he said, eyes glittering with amusement. 

Jungkook looked back at him questioningly and whispered back just as softly. “What about Yoongi Hyung then?” 

“Yoongi is like a cat,” said Seokjin from his place before the frying pan making Jungkook jump in fright at the notion that the eldest had heard everything. “You can hardly tell him what to do or not to do. But overall he is the only pseudo-exception to the rule,” finished the elder with a shrug before reaching for the soy sauce. 

Jungkook giggled at the bizarre notion of his other Hyung embodying a cat but in his amusement, he could totally understand where the comparison came from and ended up agreeing wholeheartedly. Beside him, Namjoon chuckled again and continued sipping at his water. 

Just as they were arranging the table, Jimin emerged from Taehyung’s bedroom, cutely rubbing his eyes and going straight to Jungkook for a quick hug that left the taller of the two reeling with surprise and red cheeks. They arranged themselves around the table with Seokjin and Namjoon seated at the two ends. Oddly, Jungkook found the two positions fitting for their little gathering and sat comfortably between Jimin and Taehyung staring briefly at the veritable feast the eldest had whipped up for them in just an hour. 

Conversation flowed freely between all of them. Jimin being Taehyung’s classmate and best friend since the kinder garden made him a permanent fixture in their home already, just as Hoseok and Yoongi were, considering they had both been Namjoon and Seokjin’s classmates for a long time. The elders doted on the sophomore trio nearly obsessively, something Jungkook was still not used to after his years abroad where the relationship between elders and juniors was strained and not nearly as respected as it was in Korea. It was a thrilling concept, being coddled and looked after but also to have clear guidance for his shortcomings. It was a soothing balm after many years of feeling lonely even amongst his many peers in the States and even when seated between his parents who were always more attuned to their cellphones and tablets than they ever were to their only son. 

By the time they had moved on to the living room and were all laughing loudly at the unfortunate lead of a comedy while tangled up on the massive couch, Jungkook was enjoying himself immensely but there still remained a whisper of curiosity lingering on the back of his mind. Over the course of the two hours they had all spend together at Seokjin and Taehyung’s home, something obvious but elusive was happening right before his eyes and he couldn’t pinpoint it. They all looked at home. Seokjin and Taehyung for obvious reasons. Jimin was also understandable. Hoseok and Yoongi looked comfortable yet they still maintained a certain restriction and deference to Seokjin as the owner of the home. Yet Namjoon… Namjoon looked right at home too. It wasn’t until there was a small interlude scene in the movie that he finally tore his gaze away from the screen to ask something, that it clicked. It was not a monumental discovery like he had anticipated. Instead, it was with understated logic that the conclusion formed itself in the forefront of his mind. 

Seokjin was cuddled up to Namjoon’s side and the blond had slung an arm across the elder’s shoulders bringing him closer. The position was understated and not as intimate unless you were unused to skinship between males, but the softness of their eyes as they gazed at one another while conversing softly amongst them was undeniable. Jungkook remembered then every little interaction between them and realized, that while visibly toned down, the deep affection that was so obviously beyond a well-established friendship was glaringly obvious. Jungkook wondered if the couple was hiding it on purpose or if they were just mild in their public displays of affection as a result of their combined personalities. 

Overall, he felt warm giddiness bloom in his chest as he peeked back at his Hyungs and witnessed the adorable sight of Namjoon depositing a small peck of lips to the black-haired elder’s forehead. Cute, cute, cute, was all that came to mind as he fought back a squeal of emotion. He’d been worried at first when Taehyung first started noticing his constant staring at Jimin, but the brunet had told him as soon as he’d noticed his terrified face that he was one hundred percent fine with it and that neither he nor any of the Hyungs would even bat an eyelash at him for it. Now Jungkook could understand that there was more to it than them just being excellent human beings. 

When they finally left to return to the academy before the 11 o’clock curfew he couldn’t help but smile as he noticed Namjoon was not leaving with them, standing slightly behind Seokjin at the door to see them off. On their walk back, he gathered enough courage to actually ask. “How long have they been together?” 

Yoongi huffed a laugh while Hoseok whistled loud and long as if trying to calculate a really long time. Beside him, Jimin giggled and threw his arm around Jungkook’s elbow as if to bring him closer and share his giddiness with him. “They’ve known each other almost as long as I’ve known Tae, and have liked each other as long too, I think,” said Jimin with a dreamy sigh. 

“By the time I came to the academy at the beginning of middle school those two were already together,” said Yoongi with a small gummy smile full of fondness. 

“I arrived at the end of elementary and Jin Hyung was already there fussing over Joon,” said Hoseok as he cackled humorously. 

“Wow,” was all Jungkook could say as he mentally drew a timeline for all the information he was getting and being left in awe at such a long-lasting relationship. “And they live together now?” At his words, a shadow seemed to pass over the other’s faces. Fearing he had somehow crossed a line, he was about to apologize but it was Jimin who spoke first.

“Namjoon Hyung’s parents passed away about a year ago,” said the smaller male quietly. “He is officially under his uncle’s supervision but he lives in Ilsan and Hyung didn’t want to leave. His uncle, he… well, he’s a very busy person and he didn’t want the responsibility of a teenager so he agreed to let Joon Hyung stay here and just sends him money.”

Jungkook’s heart constricted at the discovery. He knew what it was like to not be able to rely on your parents although for completely different reasons in his case. Hoseok sighed next to them, a small smile forming on his lips. 

“Jin Hyung’s eomma is a very cool lady, a wealthy fashion and entertainment figure,” he said vaguely with a wink in Jungkook’s direction. “She’s known us all since we were little and she was just getting a head start in the industry. She’s very busy and is very rarely around but has never failed to provide for Tae and Hyung. Now that they are both old enough to care for themselves, she provided them with their own space away from the constant paparazzi that used to plague them when they lived with her.”

“When Joon’s parents passed away in that accident, Joon was supposed to go live in the dorms like the rest of us, but Jin Hyung spoke to her about it and with Tae’s agreement, Namjoon went to live with them instead,” piped up Yoongi from behind them. Upon seeing the surprised look on Jungkook’s face, the elder smiled at him tenderly. “She may not be around much, but she does love her sons and Namjoon is a source of happiness for Jin Hyung and a helping hand in Taehyung’s care as well, so she always welcomed him with open arms since the very beginning.”

Jungkook limited himself to nod in understanding, shifting his arm out Jimin’s grip to wrap it around the smaller male when he felt him shiver in the cool breeze of the early autumn night. He pondered the information, drawing comparisons between his parents, Seokjin and Taehyung’s mother and Namjoon’s uncle. They were all absent, leaving their charges to their own devices yet with different levels of affection for them. His parents, as he’d found out accidentally, had married and had him as part of an arranged contract for wealth and business. Neither loved the other and the lack of affection undoubtedly transferred on to him. Seokjin and Tae’s mother stayed away to grant them the freedom and safety they would otherwise have to forego living with her, while still providing the best she could for both of them, going as far as offering a roof to a boy not her own purely because it made her eldest happy. Namjoon’s uncle was merely in the picture because of legalities and to him, interaction with his nephew was probably nothing but a stipulation on a contract. 

He knew Hoseok’s mother and father both were very hardworking people who had done everything they could so their son could attend one of the best academies in the country to ensure his future. Hoseok was top of his class, second only to Namjoon himself, and aside from being one of the Tennis Club’s stars, was also in the student council. He'd heard the elder talk on the phone often with them in the locker room after practice. Yoongi’s parents were more of a mystery for Jungkook, but he had the sinking suspicion that they were more in the absent by preference side of the spectrum as he had never even heard the elder talk about them. 

Jimin, he knew, was very attached to his parents who were successful hotel owners in Busan. They wanted the very best for their kid so they sent him to Seoul at a very young age to basically live on his own at the boarding school program of Bangtan Academy. Still, they spoke on the phone nearly every day and traveled to and from between Busan and Seoul to see each other a few times a year. 

What a ragged bunch they were. 

The sky seemed impossibly high and blue contrasting starkly with the golds and reds dressing every tree on campus. They all wore long sleeves and thicker joggers to training these days but Jungkook always ended up bunching the sleeves over his forearms by mid-practice as he felt himself baking to death as he complied with Mark’s soul-sucking (according to Yoongi) agility course. The recently returned blond senior had been part of the team before having to move to L.A. for family-related business, however, upon his return, he was more than happy to be relegated to the position of eighth as long as it afforded him the chance to pursue his true interests within the team; treating them like guinea pigs, apparently. “He wants to go into kinetic science and major in sports,” explained Hoseok one afternoon after Jungkook had asked after it.

“This stretching exercise is supposed to increase your tendon strength by 3%, try it out and tell me if it burns,” he’d said right on his first day back. It burned like hell. But by the end of the second week, Jungkook could tell his leg felt stronger and steadier. 

“This juice is made out of a mix of fruits and vegetables that will maximize your energy levels and reduce burnout,” explained the blond as he handed out cups with thick green and pasty-looking liquid, eyes shining bright and slightly sadistic. Namjoon had glanced at Seokjin, who shrugged and knocked back the whole thing in one go, smacking his lips afterward and saying, “not bad”.

The rest of them followed suit, barely managing to keep the stuff down without barfing at the disgusting taste of the concoction. No one missed the slight glittering of Mark’s eyes but they all refrained from commenting. Even if the taste was horrible, Jungkook had to admit that after a few days he started noticing his exhaustion after practice had diminished perceptively. 

“If you lean your weight like this, and turn your ankle slightly inward, you would be amplifying the strength of your shot by 18%, Jungkook-ah, why don’t you try it?” he’d said one day and after many weird suggestions that actually worked, Jungkook didn’t even question the elder anymore. He was surprised, however, when the ball he’d smacked with all his strength as per the senior’s request, actually wedged itself in the diamond link fence on the far end of the court. The other boys around him stopped their own practice and stared at the ball now firmly attached to the vertical surface. Mark glanced at his velocimeter, grinned wickedly, and clicked his pen to start taking notes in his ever-present pad while calling out to the others. “Guys gather around! We have a new exercise to try out today.”

Jimin and Taehyung had been dismissed earlier from their respective clubs in an effort to have all members fully rested before the two-day mayhem that was to be the upcoming festival. As they arrived at the tennis courts, however, they noticed the usually see-through fence was now almost entirely obstructed. Walking nearer, they realized the blockage was made out of dozens and dozens of tennis balls, wedged into the diamond links. 

“Guess Mark Hyung is at it again,” grinned Taehyung as they made their way around to the gate. 

The team was mostly sitting on the floor by the baseline opposite the fence, the only exceptions being Namjoon and Seokjin but even they seemed a bit ragged, a strange sight for the top two strongest players. Mark stood nearby scribbling madly into the whiteboard they kept around for record-keeping, huge smile in place. 

Jimin made his way towards Jungkook who was spread-eagled and panting heavily. “Gukkie?”

Jungkook opened one eye to glance at Jimin and tried to smile at him in reassurance as soon as he saw the worried look the other boy was giving him, managing only a grimace that had the now strawberry blond frowning more at him. From the side, Mark called out. “Alright, Gukk! You’re the most improved of the bunch, so a few more tweaks, and I’m sure you’ll manage to catch up to Joon’s serve.” 

Jimin paled as Jungkook made to get up and scrambled to push him back down. “No,” he said, much to the surprise of everyone around. Jimin flushed scarlet as they all stared at him in disbelief, but Jungkook’s pained grunt as he attempted to get up again steeled his resolve. Gathering up his courage, the small male moved swiftly and boldly to sit on Jungkook’s lap, effectively cutting short his efforts of getting up and making him freeze in place as he registered the other’s position.

“He’s exhausted, Hyung! No more for today!” said the small blond in a gentle but firm tone, looking up at the elders with flushed cheeks. 

Namjoon’s eyes widened and shuffled to fully face the pair on the floor. “Min we-,” 

“No!” repeated the younger, now looking frustrated as well, glancing around the tall elders. 

“You’ve been at it for two weeks, Hyung. The festival starts the day after tomorrow and your matches are bright and early. Do you think you’ll perform well if you burn yourselves out like this?” asked Jimin in a chiding tone, shifting his gaze along with the now guilty-looking faces of the team. 

“He’s right, Hyung,” came Taehyung’s low voice from where he was holding out water bottles to both Yoongi and Hoseok who looked pale and a breath away from keeling over where they sat propped up against one another on the floor. “You’ll make yourselves sick at this rate.” 

“I know you are all excited over the new and wonderful things Mark Hyung has been implementing,” continued Jimin, softer and understanding towards the chastised-looking blond senior. “But you have to think of your health too.”

“You are right Jimin-ah, we might have been carried away in the excitement,” said Namjoon sharing a look and a nod with Mark, who then turned to smile apologetically towards Jimin. 

“No more training today, and maybe an easier day tomorrow would be advisable to let your muscles rest and save energy for the matches on Saturday,” said the senior to the agreeing grateful nods of the rest of the team. 

Jimin nodded along with them, smiling brightly at the elders but turning his attention quickly to the boy whose lap he was occupying as he felt arms snake around his midsection to loosely hold him in place. Jungkook was smiling softly at him, eyes shining as they usually did and taking up Jimin’s whole attention. 

“Well, I for one, am so hungry I could eat a horse,” mumbled Jackson from where he was sprawled face down a few feet away. Beside him, Jaebeom huffed a tired laugh. 

“You could eat a horse on your own any day, bro.”

“Yah! Don’t sell me out like that!” exclaimed the other, to the snickering amusement of the rest. 

“How about we all go out to eat something together? My treat,” proposed Seokjin as he reached an arm around Namjoon’s shoulders that looked more like he was leaning on him than anything. 

Namjoon beside him smiled at him fondly and nodded his agreement. “A bonding activity, just what we need before our first official match of the school year.”

A chorus of agreement, muffled by exhaustion answered him. It took several minutes to pry them away from the floor, but eventually, they made their way to the locker rooms. Jimin and Taehyung hanging back in the court to wait for them and picking up stray balls that remained strewn around. As they reached the fence, they tried prying off the balls that were wedged there with little to no success with most of them.

“From now on, I will actively avoid ever crossing paths with any of their serves,” quipped Taehyung as he gave up trying to unstuck the bright yellow-green orb from its now permanent home. 

Jimin stepped back and sighed heavily. “I’m guessing they’ll be needing to purchase new ones; these ones are a lost cause.”

“Good thing my brother has that endorsement deal then,” smirked Taehyung as Jimin answered with a laugh of his own.

Some hours later saw them all sitting around a private room of a local eatery, the sparse remains of what had been a massive service of samgyeopsal, sat on the table with a wide array of empty side dishes. 

“That was spectacular, thank you Hyung,” said Jackson as he rubbed his full belly, sprawled half on Jaebeom’s lap and a half on Mark’s, both of whom chorused their thanks in mumbled words.

Jin smiled warmly at them as he sipped on his tea. “No need to thank me,” he said leaning back comfortably into Namjoon’s arm draped over the back of his seat. “This is nice, we should do it more often.”

“This year’s team feels very solid and strong,” added Namjoon with a dimpled smile he directed at everyone in the room, including Taehyung and Jimin who as usual sat on Jungkook’s sides. “Let’s play together for a long time, not just for the win, but also for the game itself. Yeah?”

Hoseok sprang up from his seat, his smile turned all the way up as he beamed at the whole table. “Yeah! I like our lineup, and it feels great to play with all of you, so let’s do our best on Saturday and all the matches after that!”

Jackson sprang up too, infused by the other’s energy and pulling groans out of his two neighbors as he elbowed them in his haste to get up. “Exactly! Let’s make it all the way to nationals!”

Yoongi sat up as well, movements relaxed and laid back, as usual, raising his glass of juice in a toast. “Let’s get our team to nationals, together,” he proposed, a small smirk in place. 

The rest of them sat up as well, encouraging Jimin and Taehyung to join in with their own glasses. 

“To nationals! Together!”


	2. First Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bangtan faces their first few matches at the Fall Festival Tournament, encountering old and new enemies, digging up old memories, and finding out Karma is a thing. 
> 
> Kookie learns the hard way to dodge mean-spirited tennis balls but is grateful for this one anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW. There is mention of past attempted sexual assault. It doesn't get graphic and it doesn't get far, but this ==> **TW** <== is gonna be inserted right before the scene just in case.
> 
> Come right in! Lay your thoughts and worries on the side for a little bit if you like and let's get lost for a few minutes. 
> 
> Lots of love,  
> Xoxo

Friday streaked by in a flurry of preparations, last-minute details that required attention, and a lot of freaking out on Jimin’s part. They spent most of the class-free morning hauling materials out to the courtyard where the festival booths were being set up and helping their classmates to assemble tables and other necessities. At midday, Jungkook had to actually drag Jimin down to sit restrained on his lap under their favorite tree in the yard for Taehyung to nearly force-feed him lunch, knowing full well their friend would have gone the whole day without food without their intervention. Eventually, everything was deemed ready and Taehyung dragged Jimin home with him for some ‘personal final touches’ that Jungkook had simply brushed off as BFF stuff. Even if deep inside he would have wanted to be included in their intimate circle, he was also aware that a long and good night’s sleep would be detrimental for his performance at the following day’s match. 

By the time he arrived the next day at the official match courts, which were different from the practice ones and surrounded by concrete stands to accommodate their large audience, he was feeling excited and slightly more than a little nervous. Still, as he walked wearing the Bangtan Academy’s well-known uniform of deep blue joggers with white stripes up the sides with a white polo shirt sporting the school’s emblem on the left breast, he felt pride bloom on his chest as many of his classmates gave him thumbs up or straight up cheered for him, wishing him and the team good luck on their matches. Jungkook felt that satisfying sense of belonging as he joined the others also in their uniforms waiting for him to go into the court together as a team. 

The warm-up rounds were comforting and eased his nerves as his body went over the familiar motions of preparing for what he hoped would be an interesting game. The other seven teams arrived shortly after, shaking hands with them quickly and taking a spot on the court to begin their own warm-ups. Students and the general public filled the stands in a steady trickle, making the large space look colorful with the many different uniforms on display raging from fiery reds, fresh yellows, forest-greens, and many other combinations, excitement evident on all their faces and loud chatter. It would be an express tournament with a swift elimination round of two games, a double and a single, with an additional single in case of a tie, to determine the teams that would play the semi-finals in the afternoon, leaving the final match for the following morning. 

The blocks were sorted quickly by a casual flip of coins, prompting the audience to shift and divide into groups to watch their favorite teams on their assigned courts. Around them, students in blue sat on the left side of the stands shouting their names excitedly and waving little blue and white flags with the school’s crest on them. On the other side, students dressed in black and taupe held banners over their heads with the YG’s academy logo in white. 

“Alright, Jackson, JB, time to shine,” said Namjoon with a dimpled smile and a raised fist that was immediately met with Jackson’s own and later with Jaebeom’s as they discarded their jackets and readied their rackets for the first match, playfully bickering the whole time and nodding in acquiesce to the rapid-fire data Mark was plying them with about their opponents. 

Watching them play never ceased to be exciting for Jungkook. They played with such enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game that made him want to play too and share into their obvious delight. YG’s team was good but the pair currently playing got easily frustrated over each point lost, harming their concentration, while JB and Jackson laughed each missed point off and quickly adapted to improve their defense. Their win was announced over the speaker system but Jackson was louder as he screamed victory from atop Jaebeom’s back where he’d jumped as soon as his return evaded the other team’s racket and landed half an inch away from the backline. 

Jungkook’s team’s congratulations faded into the background when a large hand clapped him gently on the shoulder. Turning, he found Namjoon’s dimpled smile directed at him. “Show us what you’ve got Bun,” he said with a wink, and from beside him, Seokjin handed him his favorite black and purple racket. With a huge grin that he could feel stretching his cheeks up, Jungkook took the equipment with a hurried thanks, and turned his undivided attention to Mark as he explained his opponent’s strengths and weak spots. 

“Careful Gukk, this guy plays dirty and it wouldn’t be the first time someone got hurt while on a match with him,” said Mark worriedly as he pulled up the information on his trusty tablet. “He likes to aim his shots directly at his opponents, and with the strength he uses, one hit of his ball could stun you and even hurt you seriously if it gets your face or say, a joint.”

Jungkook’s excitement lessened considerably at the elder’s words, remembering the many dirty players he’d faced back in his previous club. Determination filled his entire being instead. He’d prove to them all he wouldn’t be intimidated by bullies who didn’t even respect the game enough to attempt to win without resorting to violent tricks. He turned his eyes to the coppery-haired male that had just stepped into the court on the opposite side of the net. He was obviously older, taller, and much more muscular than Jungkook was, a fact that the guy seemed to have caught up on as well as he smirked menacingly at him. 

“What is this? Since when do they let kindergarteners play in the high school teams?” called the male in an annoyingly nasal voice. Snickers followed his statement from his school’s side of the stands. The female that was acting as chair umpire for their game cut warning eyes towards the redhead but remained silent while scribbling a little note down on her pad. 

Jungkook scoffed in response and turned away from him in clear disinterest to face his captain, who had his eyes trained on the now fuming opponent. “Sorry, you won’t get to play this morning Joon Hyung. This won’t take long,” he said with his most charming smile making Jin, Hoseok, and Jackson guffaw behind them. Yoongi smirked from the bench he’d claimed to take a nap, Jaebeom hid his smile behind his hand and Mark lifted his tablet to hide his own giggles. Namjoon heaved a sigh of mock resignation and ruffled his hair before taking a seat again. 

Turning back to the court with a bored face, he walked to his position and without uttering a word towards his opponent, got into his stance. The redhead was fuming at being dismissed by a younger adversary, no doubt, getting into position himself with a huff. Jungkook snorted softly in amusement, he’d laid down the trap, and the dude was walking right into it. 

Ten minutes into the match, Jungkook had verified everything Mark had said about the other guy. His shots were not even aimed to score but to hurt, and if Jungkook hadn’t been so intensely trained by Hoseok on speed, and coached by Namjoon to build his strength, he probably wouldn’t have been able to dodge and accommodate his body fast enough to hit the balls back with enough strength to return them. As it was, he had the lead and the redhead was furious, now aiming his shots for Jungkook’s face with a force that was starting to strain the sophomore’s wrists with the force he had to use to grip his own racket and not drop it. 

Half a second of delay in his reaction did it. The impact on his left cheek was strong enough to make him stumble back and fall, vision swimming and sound fading in and out around him. Gentle but strong hands were steadying him as he attempted to sit up while another pair gently cupped his face to bring it up. His vision focused enough into the warm and worried eyes of Seokjin who was apparently asking him things his ears couldn’t register for some reason. After a few moments, an ice pack was applied to his now stinging cheek and the cold shock was enough to snap everything back into place within his brain. There was a heavy buzz of murmur from the audience, eclipsed by his Hyung’s now crisp voice finally breaking through the haze of his brain. 

“Come on Bun. Can you hear me?” asked the elder for what was probably the nth time in who knows how long. A mumbled affirmative was enough for the tension on the senior’s shoulders to drain partially.

“Can you tell me if anything other than your cheek, hurts?” asked the other keeping his voice low and soothing.

Jungkook assessed his own body, taking inventory of his limbs, wiggling his toes and fingers, squirming slightly in place to evaluate as much as he could while keeping his head still. He winced at the cold seeping through the towel and into his skin but other than that, nothing else seemed to be bothering him now that his vision and hearing had cleared. “I’m fine Hyung, barely even hurts anymore,” he said glancing up at his worried elder as he attempted a soothing smile and determined it to be successful as Seokjin’s posture finally deflated. 

The hands at his back, which turned out to be Hoseok’s, helped him to stand up and take in the picture of his captain, standing feet braced apart, mighty chest fully in display framed by his crossed arms and a glower on his face that could curl milk as he stared down at the seemingly annoyed redhead. Behind him stood Yoongi with a sneer that would have sent many running for the hills aimed straight at the offending senior. Beside them, the chair umpire was in the middle of berating the YG player while his own captain frowned down at him. Looking around him, Jungkook could see his Bangtan teammates standing taut and holding scowls on their faces as they too looked towards the violent boy. Jungkook had to smile at their protectiveness but in truth, while it had been quite a shock, it was hardly the worst hit he’d ever gotten to the face and he was a quick learner. It would never happen again. 

He was annoyed now, however, because the incident had soured their first game of the school year and he was sure that while he would forget all about it come nightfall, his Hyungs would all hold the grudge for far too long. Shrugging his shoulders to loosen them up, he leaned down to pick up his racket and was pleased to find his balance fully restored to normal. 

“I’m ready Miss Song! Please, let’s continue,” he called loud enough for the umpire to turn back to look at him warily. He gave her his best puppy eyes and watched as the lady rolled her eyes good-naturedly before nodding and with a last warning glare towards the YG student, climbed back to her post. Seokjin fussed over him for a second longer but gave up as he recognized Jungkook wouldn’t back down. With a resigned huff, the eldest walked off the court pausing only to drag Namjoon away with him. 

As he locked eyes with his opponent again, Jungkook’s expression hardened and his eyes sharpened, a small smirk blooming on his face as he noticed the elder sneering at him. This would be fun. 

The game ended shortly after. Jungkook’s victory a humiliating defeat for the YG Junior, who walked off with a snarl and barely contained insults hurled his way. Jungkook was immediately pulled off the court and dragged to their lockers where they all huddled around him, offering him water, applying more ice to his cheek, offering to get ibuprofen from the nurse in case he was in pain or just plain hovering with frowns on all their faces. He was being mildly successful in convincing them he was fine when the heavy door burst open and slammed into the wall hard enough to make them all jump. 

“Guukie!” was all they heard as a streak of blue and gold rushed over and pushed them all away from Jungkook with surprising force. 

Jungkook found himself with a lapful of a teary-eyed Jimin, sporting cute platinum-blond waves of hair and a light dusting of makeup that made him look even more ethereal than usual as his little hands cupped gently his face and turned it towards the light to inspect it himself. “Jeonhang told me what happened! Are you alright!?” he frowned, pursing his plush lips as the discoloration on the taller boy became enhanced in the harsh fluorescent lights of the room. 

Jungkook was flabbergasted and at a loss of how to react to Jimin’s sudden proximity but his hands seemed to have no such problem, wrapping instinctively around the smaller boy’s middle to steady him as he perched precariously on his thighs. 

“I’m fine Min,” he mumbled, dying inside as the other male’s frown turned into a pout.

“I’m going to kick that guy right in the ba-” begun the blond boy only to be stopped by a pair of lips belonging to none other than Jungkook. Said boy seemed to realize what he’d done a second too late and immediately reeled back, horrified look in his face and starting to spout apologies at once. 

“Gosh, I’m sorry!!! MIN I’M SORRY!!! I should’ve asked for your permission first! Heck, I should’ve CONFESSED FIRST!” he babbled, dropping his head in shame to avoid looking at Jimin’s soft hazelnut eyes but being unable to actually pull away much considering how close to each other they were. 

“Shut up Kookie and look up so I can kiss you back properly this time!” demanded Jimin in his very particular way to be forceful but entirely endearing at the same time, making Jungkook freeze for a second before actually snapping his head back up so fast several of his still dumbfounded teammates winced for the sake of his neck. 

“Re- really?” he asked, doe eyes wide and glossy in the way that had Jimin once again mesmerized and convinced he would be able to study galaxies in the other boy's twin orbs. 

“Yeah- well,” answered the blond, seemingly losing confidence all of a sudden. “If- if you want that, of course.”

“I- I want, yes. I’ve wanted to for months!” 

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, just kiss already!” came the gruff complaint from nearby and the blushing couple turned to find Hoseok clamping his hand over Yoongi’s mouth while Seokjin restrained the smaller senior to render him unable to trash about. Both were smiling encouragingly at them, with the rest of the team behind them looking as if they were watching a very interesting show. 

“Ooh…” trailed off Jimin, shoulders hunched up and cheeks positively burning in embarrassment. 

Jungkook gave his teammates an unimpressed stare and was about to say something when the door once again banged against the wall and Taehyung dashed in breathing heavily. 

“Guuuuuk! The hell happened, man?! Sowon-ah said a junior busted your- wait,” he screeched and cutting himself off as he took in the scene, worry quickly melting to understanding and then elation as he took in his classmates’ position, flushed faces and the Hyungs’ invested gazes upon them. 

“Holly sh-”

“LANGUAGE!”

Tae stumbled and smiled sheepishly towards his brother for a second before turning back to Jungkook and Jimin, seemingly regaining his momentum. “FINALLY!” screamed the brunet fist-pumping the air and making the pair roll their eyes. 

“Ok, alright everyone show’s over,” said Seokjin with a loud clap of his hands getting the attention of all in the room. “I heard there are many stalls serving food out in the main courtyard and I for one, am starving. So, chop-chop, we all need to eat and rest before the semi-finals this afternoon,” he said while expertly herding everybody out of the locker room and leaving the new couple alone. 

Jungkook felt like his chest would burst with happiness as he walked around the stalls hand-in-hand with Jimin, his new official, as of half-hour ago, boyfriend, who looked up at him every few minutes with such an adoring smile that he felt like melting right on the spot even if the weather was starting to turn chilly. They shared their lunch and endured the light teasing his teammates dished out along with the surprised glances from other students with light hearts at being finally with who they wanted to be. 

“We’ll be playing the first semi-final game against SM High at four in court B,” said Namjoon as he accepted a water bottle from Seokjin, who as usual was sat right beside him in the picnic bench they had claimed for themselves in the decorated courtyard. 

“Their singles, especially their first and third, are very strong but both their doubles units are new and still struggling to bond, so we should probably do our best to get an advantage there,” said Mark studying his notes on the next opponents. 

Hoseok perked up and leaned sideways to be able to read over the senior’s shoulder. “Son Jiho... isn’t that the guy who tr-“

“Yes, it’s him,” interrupted Seokjin with a frown just as Namjoon’s smile hardened into a flat line that had several of their backs straightening up in surprise. Hoseok’s eyes widened and Jungkook got the distinct feeling something was very wrong. Beside him, Jimin stiffened marginally and Taehyung’s hand curled into a fist on his peripheral vision.

“Is he still third singles?” asked Namjoon in a daunting voice several of them had never heard.

Mark scrolled on his pad quickly and huffed out a breath. “He’s actually first now, apparently the new captain took third this year.”

“Good,” answered the taller, expression changing from grim to a sadistic-looking grin that had Jackson leaning away from him and Jungkook swallowing forcefully. 

“Well, I guess you won’t be playing again today Bun,” said Yoongi disinterestedly as he stretched both arms over his head on the far side of the table. “With Joon’s win, we won’t be needing your second singles or Jin Hyung’s third. I for one don’t intend to lose against JY, like… ever. And Jackson and JB here,” he said clapping the juniors with a bit more force than was necessary, “will be scrubbing all the locker rooms until I can see my reflection on every surface if they lose, so…” 

Both juniors paled at the prospect of having to wash and polish the bathrooms to such extent, knowing full well the senior’s threat was anything but empty. “Ah Hyung of course we won’t lose,” said JB placatingly with a pained grimace.

Jackson nodded vigorously next to him. “O-of course not! You trained us well,” he said laughing nervously and taking comfort in Hoseok’s heart-shaped smile across the table. 

Jungkook glanced at his eldest Hyung, noticing the very mild frown that threatened to shine through his attempted smile and the way Namjoon soothingly rubbed his back. He was not sure what may have happened between this Jiho guy and his Hyung, but he was certain there would be no way he would let this unknown person get within twenty paces of Seokjin. 

Jimin took his leave shortly after, having to meet his dance cohort to begin preparing for the evening show that would mark the end of the first day of the festival. Taehyung, who was meant to help with costumes and had to leave as well, seemed reluctant to part with his older brother. Seokjin smiled soothingly at him and drew him into a hug, soon joined by Namjoon. Jungkook noticed Taehyung gripping the tall blond’s sleeve with a strong fist, and the way the captain seemed to be whispering soothing words to the youngest boy. Eventually, they parted and the brunet sophomore departed with Jimin in tow, glancing back several times until the pair rounded the corner of the amphitheater. 

JY High’s red and white uniforms filled the stands on the left side, balanced out by an even bigger white and blue crowd than in the morning matches. The captains shook hands silently, both wearing blank and serious faces. Jungkook noticed the youngest group of players on the opposing team looking uncomfortable and jittery on their benches, huddled together away from the coach and the senior players. As the first doubles game progressed, Jungkook could understand why. 

The boys were slightly older if not Jungkook’s age, and while very talented with a lot of potential, they were constantly being cowed and borderline harassed by not only their coach but also the older players, especially a tall black-haired hulk of a man whose only purpose in life seemed to laugh and jeer at others.

“It’s a ball, Chan! You’re supposed to hit it!” screamed the senior with a sneer towards the flustered junior who had just failed to return one of JB’s lobs. 

“It’s like you weren’t even there at training these past months, Minho! Do you need me to write the instructions down for you? Are you that dumb?!” sneered the coach, to the huffed amusement of the seniors. The brunet boy turned his face down and scowled at the floor while gripping his racket so tightly that his hand shook. 

Jungkook couldn’t believe the nerve of them, harassing their players like that out in the open. In the stands, he could see the JY students frowning silently at the elders every time a new derogatory shout was aimed at the younger players. Across the net, JB and Jackson were having a hard time keeping their tempers in check at having to witness such a thing. On his perch, the current umpire scowled openly at the brutish coach and his obvious favorites. 

When the match ended with Bangtan’s victory, Jungkook could see both Jackson and JB whispering encouraging words to their defeated opponents, and clapping their arms and shoulders soothingly and encouragingly. As the sad pair took a seat as far away from their seniors and coach as possible, the other pair hugged them and tried to cheer them on in the few minutes they had before the new game started. 

“Come on BamBam, don’t make me regret my decision!” came the coach’s harsh words as the new pair got in position. Yoongi openly sneered at him from his position and Hoseok’s smile was nowhere to be seen as he directed a serious and ominous look towards the elder. 

The game began and once again, Jungkook could see plain as day just how much potential the two junior players had and just how much of a detriment the hurtful words and jeers from their seniors and coach affected them. Hoseok and Yoongi were playing to win, effective and fast, not pulling their shots or slowing down, yet the pair before them managed to hang on and provide an interesting game for the elders despite their youth and clearly misguided training. By the time they were shaking hands once Bangtan was once again named the winners, Yugyeom, their youngest, had tears in his eyes in frustration while Bambam looked grim beside him despite Hoseok’s best efforts at encouragement. 

“I should have never signed your scholarship papers kid, what a waste of money you are,” scowled the coach as the pair walked quickly by them to their own bench. The umpire snapped his neck towards the coach at the horrible words and clenched his teeth to avoid saying anything, limiting himself to scribble out something on his pad. 

“Don’t worry coach, we’ll even ourselves out even if the useless brats fucked us over, we can still recover,” huffed the black-haired senior as he adjusted his wrist guards and picked up his racket with cocky confidence. His façade slipped for a second, however as he noticed Namjoon stepping into the court, his light blue racket casually resting against his shoulder. 

“I didn’t think I’d see you this year Jiho, what an unpleasant surprise,” said Namjoon, tone icy and eyes so sharp that if glares could kill Jiho would be ashes by now. 

The black-haired sputtered for a moment, glancing back to Bangtan’s benches and settling his eyes on a glaring Seokjin. Jungkook frowned at the searching gaze at the same moment Hoseok and Yoongi reacted, both getting to their feet and standing in front of their Hyung to keep him out of the other man’s sight. 

The senior scowled at them but when he turned his eyes back towards Namjoon they had regained that cocky confidence he’d been wearing all day like a jacket. “I see Jinnie and you decided to trade places this year, although he was a much better first single than you could ever hope to be kid, not to mention much prettier too,” he said mockingly, grin dropping a little as his jeer seemed to fall flat against Namjoon’s unresponsiveness. 

Wordlessly, Namjoon lowered his racket and walked to the back to serve, not even gracing the elder with an answer. As Namjoon tossed the ball up and swung his racket in a way that had Jungkook wincing with the recognizable strength behind it, Seokjin sighed fondly next to him. Jungkook tore his eyes away from his captain to look at his Hyung sporting a fond and adoring gaze towards the tall boy now in the process of humiliating the senior across from him. Jin seemed to sense his gaze and glanced towards him with a small smile on his very handsome face. 

“Last year’s festival was held in JY High, and of course we went for the tournament, made it to the finals,” said the elder, gaze traveling inevitably back to Namjoon who was now toying with his opponent like a predator playing with its prey. “Their team last year was strong, so we were tied up until the end when Joon managed to defeat their previous captain.”

Jungkook’s brows furrowed and shifted in his seat trying to decode why losing a tournament would cause such a reaction from his elders towards a specific player. As if reading his mind, Jin’s smile turned sour along with his tone when he spoke next. “We were heading out when I realized my jacket was not in my bag so I went back to get it, thinking I’d left it in the guest locker rooms.”

==> **TW**<==

“Jiho was there and waited until I had gone in to close the door. He tackled me from behind,” revealed the elder, to Jungkook’s mounting horror. In Jungkook’s tense silence, Jin continued speaking, eyes not leaving Namjoon’s lean figure on the court. “I was so surprised I didn’t react and fight back until it was too late and he had my hands secured with a zip tie. He… Uhm… well, he tried to take my pants off,” said the elder with a wince and turned to Jungkook as he felt the younger’s hand grip his own in a vice grip. 

With a reassuring smile, Jin pried his hand from Jungkook’s and instead brought his arm over the younger’s shoulder in a comforting side hug. “Joon walked in at that very moment and threw him off of me,” said the elder running a hand up and down his maknae’s arm while he resettled his gaze on his boyfriend. “Nearly k.o.ed the guy too with how hard he was punching him, but I managed to break my restraints off and stop him in time,” he added with a huff. 

==> **TW**<==

Jungkook gaped at him incredulous until an idea seemed to take hold of him making him frown violently. “Then, how come that, motherfu-”

“Language!” hissed the senior at him losing all the softness in his face for a split second, making Jungkook swallow down the profanity and huff in frustration. 

“Ugh, fine. Then how come that asshat,” he said to the elder’s frustration and Yoongi’s choked chortle beside them, “is still playing for his school? Shouldn’t he be suspended or in jail, or something?”

Seokjin’s expression became stormy as he sent a scathing look towards the black-haired male that was huffing with exhaustion and drenched in sweat on his side of the court. “His family is well connected in the entertainment industry and could make my mother’s job very hard for her if they wanted to,” explained the elder with a stiff voice. Jungkook could understand their position and more than ever he could understand Namjoon’s reluctance to have Jin anywhere near the guy. Even if his Hyung was more than capable to look after himself, one second caught off guard could have cost him dearly. Jungkook huffed petulantly and crossed his arms over his chest, making Seokjin glance back at him bewildered by the younger’s sudden change in mood. 

“What’s wrong Gukkie?” asked the senior, brows furrowing at the pouty look on the youngest. 

“I didn’t get to play against him! I want to wipe the court with that prick for messing with you,” said the sulking boy, eliciting giggles from Hoseok and an amused huff from Yoongi, while Seokjin simply raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

“Don’t worry kid,” said Yoongi patting his knee comfortingly. “Maybe we’ll see them in the preliminaries for Nationals.”

Jungkook certainly hoped so. In the meantime, he enjoyed the few remaining minutes of his captain’s match, grinning as he watched the elder expertly returning every shot barely breaking a sweat. The elder of the two was furious with his movements becoming increasingly violent and unpredictable, right along with his mouth. 

“I’ll teach you a lesson you fucking brat!” he snarled, ignoring the warning call from the umpire for foul language on the court. “I will rip you to shreds and then make you watch as I screw that pretty-faced doll over there over and over until my name is all he can scream!”

A loud and shrill whistle rang out as the umpire stopped the game and Namjoon immediately caught the ball instead of returning it. On his side, Jiho started walking towards the net, steps long and heavy, using his height to his advantage and easily jumping over it, approaching the tall junior with single-minded violence. Bangtan moved on instinct towards their captain, who barely had time to push them away as the elder swung his racket at him. Namjoon having some of the best reflexes on the team second only to Hoseok, managed to dodge the graphite equipment by a hair’s width, taking several steps back at once, making sure all of his teammates stayed behind him. 

The senior was about to swing back when several hands caught him from behind and tackled him to the floor, taking the racket from his hands and immobilizing him. The four youngest of the team struggled to keep him down as the umpire, now standing next to them used his radio to call for security. As the agents secured the still snarling senior, the JY captain and fellow seniors yelled profanities at the umpire for what they were calling blatant favoritism towards Bangtan along with some choice words and harsh slaps towards their juniors for stopping their elder teammate. 

A trio of sharply dressed men arrived at the court just as the coach smacked one of the maknaes on the head and another senior jammed the handle of his racket on the stomach of another boy. “What is the meaning of this, Coach Park?! Lee Jay, leave that boy alone this instant!”

The JY coach turned surprised eyes to the newcomers, turning pale at once when recognizing JY High’s and the Junior National League’s top authorities. “Oh, Headmaster Lee! What a surprise! Chairman Song! What an honor, sir.”

“Save your simpering for someone who cares, Park,” said Song Sejun with a sneer towards the coach as he helped Youngjae stand straight after getting the wind knocked out of him by his teammate’s abuse. “I always suspected you were not fit to coach athletes, let alone children.”

Coach Park sputtered in outrage but just as he was about to open his mouth to retort the headmaster stepped in front of him, expression thunderous. “Abusive and unprofessional behavior is not tolerated in JY High, Park! Instigating other students to treat their younger peers so deplorably is also unacceptable,” said the portly man with a grave voice that spoke of finality. “As of this moment, you can consider your contract with JY High terminated. The authorities will contact you in the following days pertaining the case of abuse on these children,” he finished indicating with his hand towards the quartet of shellshocked maknaes huddled by the other suited man. 

“Abuse?!” screeched the coach with humor. “it was just a friendly pat! Maybe my hand slipped and it looked harder than it was, isn’t that right BamBam?”

The teenager looked conflicted for a moment but before he could answer, the umpire stepped up and handed a GoPro to the chairman. “This is the same camera that was used to record the classification match this morning and the one right now. You can clearly hear Coach Park and these three seniors being abusive and manipulative towards the youngest boys, Sir. I can testify, along with my colleague from this morning, just how horrible their behavior was.” 

The grey-haired chairman took the device with a small appreciative nod towards the umpire, handing it to the third suited man, clearly his assistant, and turned back towards the now dismayed-looking coach. “Abusing children is no small charge, sir. I strongly recommend you call a good lawyer and kiss goodbye any chance at getting a position within this industry ever again.”

The chairman dismissed the security team who dragged the coach and the seniors away from the court, followed by their school’s headmaster herding the younger students to the parking lot. The Chairman watched them go with a heavy shake of his head, making sure they were out of sight before turning bag to the Bangtan team. The boys were huddled around their captain, no doubt wanting to make sure he was alright after being attacked by the older student. 

“Are you alright, son?” he asked kindly, smiling as the tall blond boy immediately stood from the bench and bowed down at him, prompting the rest of the team to follow his lead. 

“I’m perfectly fine, Sir. Thank you for stepping in,” said the captain, shaking the elder’s offered hand. 

“Of course, how could I not? In this sport we all love so much, there is no room for violent and heinous acts,” said the elder, cutting knowing eyes towards Seokjin but adverting them just as the senior gasped quietly in understanding. “I can promise you, those at fault and sporting such black hearts will pay the consequences of their actions.”

“Thank you, Sir,” answered Namjoon, feeling his throat constrict with emotion as he realized Seokjin’s attacker might not go unpunished after all, relieving a full year of bitterness and sadness that had accumulated in his chest at being unable to do something about it without bringing grief to the senior and his family. 

The Chairman clapped him amicably on the shoulder then. “I am looking forward to seeing you and your team in Nationals this year as well Namjoon. Fighting!” he said with a fist loosely clenched before him, getting answering smiles from the rest of the boys and thankful bows in return. 

As the stands cleared and the team made their way back to the courtyard, the crispy autumn air seemed clearer and lighter, filling their lungs with a comforting sort of feeling that had them all smiling. Namjoon and Seokjin couldn’t be separated, not that anyone really tried anyways. Beside them, Hoseok had Jungkook caught under one arm and a pouting Yoongi under the other. The youngest was giggling uncontrollably at his elder’s antics while the senior was weakly demanding to be let go but doing absolutely nothing to dislodge the junior’s arm from his shoulders. Behind them, Jackson was doing a very good rendition of a girl group’s dance, coaxing giggles out of some girls walking by, while JB resorted to pushing him forward every time his fellow junior lagged too behind. Mark kept pace with them, providing the music with his own phone and pointing out mistakes in the junior’s choreography. 

Jungkook couldn’t help but think it had been an incredibly eventful day and if he was being honest, the adrenaline crash was making him feel a bit tired, even if the sun had yet to fully set. Just as they reached the open gates to the amphitheater, with a crowd already forming at the entrance, all his tiredness suddenly evaporated as his thoughts turned to Jimin. 

It would be the first time he actually got to see the smaller male dance seriously, aside from fooling around with Taehyung in their free time. Their practice schedules clashed all the time, preventing him from actually seeing the blond in his element, and in Jungkook’s opinion, it was more than about time, he got to see his newly conquered boyfriend shining at his own thing, just like he could envision him doing. His steps became hurried and, in his haste to get a good seat, he completely ignored the catcalls and whistles from his teammates teasing him good-naturedly as he left them behind. 

“Should we tell him Tae already got us all reserved seats?” chuckled Seokjin as he followed the maknae at a much more sedate pace. Beside him, Namjoon deposited a quick kiss to the elder’s temple and leaned back to answer the elder’s musing with a dimpled smile. 

“Nah, excitement looks cute on him.”

“Oh, what about me? Do I look cute when I’m excited?” asked Seokjin with a playful pout that had Namjoon grinning widely. 

“There is no moment when you don’t look cute, Jinnie,” said the taller dutifully, smirking at the fake gag his friends mimicked beside them, “or handsome, dashing, breathtaking…”

“Ok, ok, ok,” interrupted Yoongi finally shrugging out of Hoseok’s embrace to slip between his captain and his Hyung eliciting laughs from both. “Either you tone down your cringey, greasy, bulshi-”

“Language!”

The other senior rolled his eyes and looked at Seokjin right in the eyes. “Ok… cringey, greasy, nonsense,” he said waiting for the answering grin from his elder before continuing his tirade. “Or I’m gonna get cavities with all this lovey, dovey, sappy shit!”

“YAH! Min Yoongi!” called out Jin outraged. 

The other senior’s eyes widened and promptly scurried away with a speed they rarely saw him use outside the court, Hoseok screeching with laughter right on his heels. A few seconds later, Jackson, Mark, and Jaebeom streaked past them as well, being chased by a gaggle of squealing girls and several boys. Seokjin huffed a longsuffering sigh and beside him, Namjoon cackled as he drew the elder into a back hug. 

“This is why you are the captain, they never listen to me,” said the elder with a pout. Namjoon kissed it away with a chaste peck of lips. 

“They’re your kids anyways,” answered the blond with amusement. 

Seokjin smiled as he leaned his head on the taller boy’s shoulder. “Yeah,” he said quietly glancing at the full moon looking regal in the clear autumn sky, smile full of happiness, “yeah, they are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!   
> Thank you for reading this far on this little story. I appreciate you taking some of your precious time and come spend it with me here. It's great that you take time to diffuse and dispel your worries and heavy thought. It allows your brain and body to recharge with necessary good things and energy. Never feel guilty or let others guilt-trip you into thinking you are not allowed to have a mental break from reality every once in a while. The world can be overwhelming and we all carry its weight differently, so how many rests stops along the way you need compared to someone else doesn't mean you are stronger or weaker than them. It just means you are a human being, and therefore unique and so wholly you, that comparing you to anyone else is ridiculous and completely unnecessary.
> 
> In the end, the journey is what matters; what we learn and take from it, rather than our destination. On this thinking, getting there first is not really as important anymore, is it? What's really important is that we keep going, getting up after every tumble and after every break we take. We push forward, and never ever give up on this trip. 
> 
> Stay strong, friend.   
> Much love!  
> Xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> I've never been a sporty person as my body refuses to cooperate while out in the field or in a court of any kind, lol. But I enjoy watching and getting caught up in the wonderful energy of a match. 
> 
> Sometimes we don't have to be active participants in an activity to draw satisfaction from it. It's ok if we prefer not to be at the center of attention. Don't let others shame you into thinking that you must be at the center of everything for you to feel like you are entitled to feel good about something. You are allowed to feel good. Period. What you enjoy, the way you enjoy it, and how you go about it, as long as it doesn't hurt others, is entirely up to you. 
> 
> Let's stop letting others condition our happiness. Read, sing, draw, skate, act, as much as you want. And if you are not ready to show others, or simply want to keep it to yourself, that's perfectly understandable as well. If you ever change your mind and feel ready to share with the world what you've made then that's fantastic too!
> 
> Remember you are more than valid, and I support you 100%.  
> No giving up now, friend. 
> 
> Love,  
> Xoxo


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